New York | DPI
Ahead of this year’s World Wildlife Day, the first in-person meeting of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products was held in New York on 2 March 2017.
Ahead of this year’s World Wildlife Day, the first in-person meeting of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Illicit Trade in Wildlife and Forest Products was held in New York on 2 March 2017.
The Task Force was established to promote a holistic approach within the UN system to addressing illicit trade in wildlife and forest products. In particular, it aims to look beyond the core law enforcement activities and to incorporate economic, developmental, and environmental aspects.
It is a “One UN” response designed to help further integrate efforts through pro-active information sharing and coordinated action at global, regional, and national levels.
The eight original member entities of the Task Force are: CITES Secretariat, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Political Affairs, Department for Peacekeeping Operations, and Department of Public Information. The Task Force is also open for working with other UN entities addressing issues related to illicit trade in wildlife.
Representatives from seven of the UN entities attended the in-person meeting. UN Environment was elected as the Chair of the Task Force for 2017, which is expected to rotate annually. The representatives deliberated on the modes of collaboration moving forward and formulated a Work Plan. UNDP will serve as the secretariat of the Task Force for the rest of 2017.
The fight against illicit trade in wildlife is relevant to the achievement of a number of Sustainable Development Goals, not limited to the protection of life on land (SDG 15) and life below water (SDG 14), but also for poverty reduction (SDG 1), responsible consumption (SDG 12), elimination of hunger (SDG 2), maintaining peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16), and partnership for the implementation the Goals (SDG 17).
The Task Force looks forward to fulfilling its coordinating role and working with all UN entities to mobilise support for combating illicit trade in wildlife and forest products worldwide. The next in-person meeting of the Task Force is tentatively scheduled for December 2017 in Nairobi.